Water Tower

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Many water towers were constructed during the Industrial Revolution, when the cities and villages were equipped with a public water system. These towers were symbols of progress and a better quality of life.

Nowadays, people do not give much attention to water towers. They are either demolished or becoming historic landmarks. Along with the typewriters, dot matrix printers, pinball machines, water towers are now historic relics.

Rapid technology advance causes many things to become obsolete too soon. Still, I like to see one more thing to become obsolete. I want to see war to become the thing of the past just like dueling was.

-Quan.
March 2011.

“Either war is obsolete, or men are.” ~ R. Buckminster Fuller

Quang Tuấn Delivers His Crescendo

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I went to a fundraiser concert back in January. There were many entertaining performances, including a number sung by Quang Tuấn accompanied by the band Phượng Hoàng. I had seen them performed together a few times before – this time was no different – always exceptional.

Quang Tuấn walks and speaks with a moderate pace. His songs selections are usually with slow to medium beat. When on stage, he always dresses very well and conservative. I think that personality reflects in his singing.

What I like most about Quang Tuấn’s singing is the way he delivers his crescendos. His crescendos always begin with a smooth tone in an unhurried, deliberate pace; and ends with tremendous dynamic.

When he does that, I get goose bumps. I am not a musical expert; but whenever I get goose bumps, I know I am listening to good singing.

-Quan.
March 2011.

“You are the crescendo.” ~ P. Diddy Puff Daddy (American, b.1969, Harlem, New York, USA)

Hang Together

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I remember when I was little; I used to hang out with friends, lying on the grass, looking up at the sky. We would see different animals from the various cloud formations. Some cloud would look like a lion; other would look like a dragon, or a dinosaur, etc. That was pure and simple fun.

Sometimes, I wonder what I would do if I were a leaf? Maybe, I would hang out with other leaves. Some days, there will be dragons and dinosaurs. Other days, it will be cloudless; there will be just an empty blue sky. It would not matter if there were no clouds on the sky, I know, because I am hanging out with my friends. And I would be just as happy.

What would you do if you were a leaf?

-Quan.
February 2011.

“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” ~ Benjamin Franklin.

White Rose



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It’s been several months since I last visited my mother. Mom’s house is only about one-hour drive away; I really had no excuse for the long absence besides being so busy with heavy work schedule.

My mom loves gardening. Through the years, she spends countless hours of her free time working outside in the backyard. Day by day, the backyard gradually transforms into a mini garden full of beautiful plants, flowers and vegetables.

Every time I visit mom, I always make a point to go out to the backyard. It’s my retreat area. So this time, after having lunch and watching TV with Mom for a while, I went out to the backyard, as usual, to relax. At this time of year, most plants are out of season, there isn’t a lot going on, other than a few small cactus blooms. As I sat on the swing, looking toward the apple tree, I noticed a lone blossomed white rose illuminated by the afternoon sun beams shining through between the apple leaves. So, I get up and took a few frames.

The purity and beauty of the white rose remind me of the motherly love we all felt when we were little. In the young child’s eyes, Mom is a goddess, beautiful and pure. As we become of age, leaving the nest, struggling with life and drifting away from home, we lose touch. It felt good to be reminded of how beautiful mom always is in my heart.

I dedicate this photo my mom, my wife and all the mothers out there.

-Quan.
February 2011.